Nestled on the border of Bunyip State Park at the gateway to Gippsland, there’s a living example of native botanicals and bush foods grown in harmony with the natural environment.

Peppermint Ridge Farm is a unique agribusiness that has successfully integrated horticulture, eco-tourism, education, value-added products and hospitality.

Owner and director, Julie Weatherhead was acknowledged by the judges in last year’s Gippsland Food and Fibre Awards for her exceptional approach to education, sharing her vast knowledge from a sustainable business model. Read more about Peppermint Ridge Farm in our feature article.

After successfully delivering the ‘Green Dams’ project in Cape Liptrap, South Gippsland Landcare Network has received further funding to implement a second phase of the program at a farm in Arawata.

Owned by Sandra Jefford and Wilco Droppert, Wilandra Farms was recognised in the 2024 Gippsland Food and Fibre Awards for its exemplary sustainable farming practices.

Certified organic since 2020, Wilandra Farms operates on a philosophy of regenerative methods of farming to improve the quality of available natural resources. They utilise energy harvested through wind and solar, and have undertaken extensive plantings of native trees and agroforestry species. Wilandra Farms have shared their sustainability story with us.

Gippsland Research Farm is currently the site of a project which actively aims to build more topsoil, with an outlook on improving adaptability to climate variation. In addition to increasing the soil’s nutrient holding capacity, ‘Growing More Topsoil’ seeks to answer two specific questions:

1. Can we double the water holding capacity of our top soil?

2. Can we extend our top soil from 150mm to 300mm deep?

Funded through the Future Drought Fund and delivered by Gippsland Agricultural Group (GAgG), the initiative has been underway since mid-2023 and is beginning to produce visible results. In October, progress was showcased at this year’s GAgG Spring Field Day.